Sikh polity
Eight pillars of the order of Khalsa by Dr. Harjinder Singh Dilgeer Director Guru Nanak Institute of Sikh Studies, Norway
Some writers have called the Sikh polity as “theocracy” or alike. This is a misconceived notion. The order of Khalsa is, in fact, spiritual democratic republicanism. The Sikh polity revolves around eight main basic points. These eight points are the hub of the order of Khalsa, These can be further grouped as; (a) Sanction: 1. Guru Granth Sahib, 2, Khalsa, 3. Gurmatta, (b) Hierarchy: 4. The Akal Takhat sahib, 5;PunjPiare, 6. Sarbat Khalsa, 7. Sikh Panth, 8. Sangat.
Guru Granth sahib is the basic source and the first sanction of the Sikh polity. The first lessons of the Sikh polity were given by Guru Nanak himself. He presented the concept of an ideal state (Guru Granth sahib, p p 145, 350, 354, 3 60, 59 6, 992, 1228). Besides five more Gurus too explained the Sikh polity in the pages of Guru Granth sahib. Further the Sikh history explains some of the points of the Sikh polity. The incidents from the life history of all the ten Gumus explain some of the basic point of the Sikh polity.
Khalsa is the second source of the Sikh polity. Khalsa is an Arabic/Persian term. During the eighteenth century, this term was used for the lands directly owned and administered by the sovereign itself. There was no middle agency between the sovereign and Khalsa. When Guru Gobind Singh revealed Khalsa in 1 699 A.D he declared that Sikh Khalsa was directly associated with God. Thus grant of sovereignty for Khalsa is sue genesis. No one can have any political or spiritual authority over Khalsa. It is God granted sovereignty in transcendental and temporal domains.
These domains as well, then how could it rule the other members of the Sikh Commonwealth? The answer is self-explanatory. Khalsa Nation, as it is spiritual democratic. Republicanism, it grants every member of the nation the status of sovereign. It is the real sense, a stateless society.
‘Gurmatta is the third source of the Sikh polity. There is no extreme democracy in Sikhism. It is not the rule of the majority. It is not the whim of any guild or syndicate. It is not the will of particular groups at the cost of the other groups or minorities. It is administration by consensus. The Sikh system of Consensus Le, Gurmatta is no majority decision. It is the collective judgment. It is supposed to be acceptable to everyone. Thus, bearing no possibility of grudge or grievance,
Total equality, including the equality of sexes, is the basis of the Sikh Khalsa and the Sikh Gurmatta. The institution of Langar (collective free kitchen) is a very significant part of this equality. Everyone is expected to rise above the inequalities implied by one’s caste, family name, status, office and grade etc., before joining the “langar”. This aspect of Sikhs socio political philosophy is basic to Sikh polity.
From an administrative and functional view point, the Order of Khalsa presupposes a “welfare state” a truly welfare state. It is neither a utopian communist system (which has accepted its failure now), nor is it phony Hindu system of a welfare state which is more of beggary than welfare and is full of disgust for poorer sections of society. It is based on the fundamental principles of Sikhism Kirat Kara, Vand Chhakna, Naam Japna (honest labour, sharing with others and remembering Lord Almighty). The welfare of the society is based on dignity of labour, pride in honest work and sharing of at least a tenth of one’s income (Daswandh) and not through imposed welfare taxes or forced Communist collectivization. In Sikhism, it is all voluntary and done with pride and dignity.
Daswandh (tithe) is religious duty of a Sikh. It has been in practice among the Sikhs for the past five centuries. The Sikh system of “Daswandh” is a practically reality. A Sikh, who does not reserve “Daswandh” for the needy, is a debtor.
The Sikh polity is founded, mainly on the basis of these fundamentals. Its hierarchic patterns can be explained in five main points, The Akal Takht, Punj Piare, Sarbat Khalsa, Sikh Panth and Sangat.
(a) The Akal Takht
(the throne of the Almighty)
This is the top of the hierarchic order of the Sikh polity. It is the final authority of the Sikh Nation. The Custodian of this seat is the pontiff and is most revered. (Since 1920 this post has come to be improperly known and labeled as “Jathedar”. The Sikh intelligentsia takes strong exception to this.)
The Custodian of the Akal Takht is not a dictator and he is not free to issue edicts of his own. He is, in fact, a speaker. He issues injunctions, as have been finalized through “Gurmatta” of the “Sarbat Khalsa”.
The Custodian of the Akal Takht is not “ZilleIlahi (shadow of God on earth) as the Moghul kings of the Indian subcontinent believed themselves to be. He is not like a Hindu Maharaja a Divine Incarnation (as explained by Krishna in Bhagwan Gita, IV, 8 and by Manu in Manu Smriti, VII 3). His position may partly (but cautiously), be compared to the system of constitutional monarchy of Great Britain or the Republican Democracy of the United States of America. On spiritual horizon, he is still different from Roman Catholic Pope as pontiff, because the Sikh polity believes in democracy even in religious functioning (though it bars treatment of the basic fundamentals of Sikhism even by the Sarbat Khalsa, The custodian of the Akal Takht is not a dictator and he is not free to issue edicts of his own. He is, in fact a speaker. He issues injunctions, as have been finalized through Gurmatta of the Sarbat Khalsa.
The institution of monarchy is basically anti skih some writers have made unsuccessful attempts to mutilate the Sikh polity by saying that Guru Nanak Sahib was not opposed to the institution of kingship. They based their analysis on Guru’s statement that only the capable should rule (Guru Granth Sahib pp 59 6, 992) and that an essential trait of the king is to receive reverence and homage (Guru Granth Sahib p. 354). These writers have made literal translation of the Guru’s verses. Guru’s usage of the words like Sultan means administrator and manager and not the monarch.
Secondly, some writers, out of ignorance or maliciousness, say that Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s rule was the culmination of the Sikh polity. In fact, the reality is just the opposite. Ranjit Singh’s rule was 3 personal kingdom and clearly in disregard of the clear injunctions of Guru Gobind Singh to Khalsa (Kapur Singh in Parasharprasna). Irdar Kapur Singh feels that Ranjit Singh’s pattern was rather Hindu and not the Sikh polity: “It was the desire of this one strong man, Maharaja Ranjit Singh who imposed it upon an unwilling nation to revert to the pale Hinduism….”
(b) Punj Piare
(Five beloved ones)
Punj Piare comes next in order in the hierarchy of Sikh polity. Punj Piare is the Sikh pattern of collegial leadership. This leadership means that all the national matters are accomplished by all the members directly and all these members are subject to the same set of rules. Whereas the Sikh religious order maintains the leadership of five and it cannot be decreased or increased, the political domain can have any amount of members of this collegial leadership.
This collegial leadership of Punj Piare is totally different from the Soviet Presidium because this leadership is fully accountable to the Sarbat Khalsa. Whenever it loses the faith of the Sarbat Khalsa, it loses its authority immediately. Its actions are rejected ipso facto.
It has some similarity with what Confucius calls the supreme essential of good government (sayings of Confucius, XI, 10). The Sikh hierarchic order considers the Custodians of all the Sikh Thrones ‘as members of this collegial leadership. It includes the Custodian of the Akal Takht, who, while presiding the proceedings, becomes the Custodian of the Akal Takht, who while presiding the proceedings becomes the Custodian of the Akal Takht, who while presiding the proceedings, becomes the Custodian General. However all the members are subject to the same rules and limitations? They can never assume the role of a fascist or a dictatorial authority.
(c) Sarbat Khalsa
(The Sikh Commonwealth)
The third pillar of the Sikh polity is Sarbat Khalsa. Its underlying principle is federal republicanism. I tis complete equalitarian and free democracy. “Sarbat Khalsa is a parliament of the Sikh Nation. It is not a congregation of the Sikh masses, which is neither feasible nor meaningful, but it is “representative assembly” of the Sikh Nation as a whole. This Congress includes the representatives from all the sections of the Sikh Commonwealth. Some writers have confused Sarbat Khalsa with the Sikh congregations of the eighteenth century. These congregations were not the Sarbat Khalsa assembly. Malcolm had written in 1812 that the Sarbat Khalsa was an assembly of the chiefs and principle leaders of the Sikh Nation (Malcolm Sketch of the Sikhs p 9 6).In the assembly of the Sarbat Khalsa every one has an equal Status. Everyone is free to express one’s opinions freely. The final resolve is reached through consensus. It is called Gurmata. Once it is passed, the entire Sikh nation is required to obey it.
The Sikh commonwealth the Sarbat Khalsa is collective leadership of the Sikh nation, it has collective responsibility and is collectively answerable to the Sikh Panth, as a whole. Any anti national acts attributable to any of the members of this assembly can lead to impeachment by the Custodian General of the Akal Takht Sahib through Punj Piaras or by the Sarbat Khalsa itself. Even Sangat may at any time or anywhere, make a Gurmatta against any one of the members of the Sarbat Khalsa or the Punj Piaras, and recommend it to the Akal Takht for final decision. The final sanction lies with the Sarbat Khalsa. The verdict is released by the Custodian of the Akal Takht in his position as the ‘Custodian General (in the name of Punj Piaras on behalf of the Sarbat Khalsa) as Hukamnama (proclamation) to the Sikh Nation. While appeals may be made by anyone no member of the Sikh nation can defy this final injunction,
Sarbat Khalsa is not a standing committee or a permanent college. Its members must enjoy the complete trust of the section they represent.
(d) The Sikh Panth
The next important pillar of the Sikh polity is the Sikh Patch as a whole. The Sarbat Khalsa is selected by the Sikh Panth as a whole, from amongst its functionaries, leaders, Generals intellectuals, and the other relevant sections. The members of the Sarbat Khalsa continue till they have the approval of the Sikh Panth. On every Vaisakhi day (in April) the members of the Sarbat Khalsa are to be elected or reconfirmed. (e) Sangat (local congregation)
Sangat or the local congregation constitutes a powerful pillar of the Order of Khalsa. It is practically impossible to gather the entire ‘Sikh Nation at one place at any one time. The Sangats of different places (village’s town’s cities), perform this role. Sangat can choose national subjects for its agenda but the final resolve shall be made by the Sarbat Khalsa. If necessary the Custodian of the Akal Takht can call a special referendum consensus of the Sikh Nation on a particular national issue.
The Sangat can choose a Panchayat (a Khalsa Panchayat) from amongst them. In case of an emergency, this Panchayat can take immediate decision, subject to ratification by the Sangat. This emergency decision should in no way contradict the national consensus.
This is the hierarchy of the Sikh polity which makes the Order of Khalsa as the most democratic, republican and judicious political system in our society. It is on account of this that the Order of Khalsa is called spiritual democratic republicanism.
(Courtesy, the Sword)
Article extracted from this publication >> July 6, 1990
